PHT’s Morning Skate takes a look around the world of hockey to see what’s happening and what we’ll be talking about around the NHL world and beyond.

Team Russia started out the Subway Super Series with a commanding 6-2 victory over the QMJHL All-Stars. Top prospects Nail Yakupov and Mikhail Grigorenko each had a goal and an assist for Russia. (NHL.com)

4,800 people showed up to the Cornwall Civic Complex to see locked-out NHL players including Daniel Alfredsson participate in a charity game. That’s roughly the arena’s maximum capacity and the event took place in a city of just 46,340 people. The Cornwall Peewee B’s also got to play against the NHLers during the first intermission. (Ottawa Citizen)

Edmonton Oilers representative Devan Dubnyk is among the group of NHLers using the term “cautiously optimistic” to describe the current sentiment surrounding the CBA talks. (Edmonton Journal)

Anyone know anything about Alexander Khokhlachev? He was playing on Yakupov’s line and scored a goal last night, I believe. I hear some good things about him but know absolutely nothing about the kid.
Go vote!

Khokhlachev is a very skilled young player. He skates well and has excellent hands. He had a very good couple of years playing in the OHL for the Windsor Spitfires. He’s been playing in the KHL so far this season, and although he’s struggled somewhat there to start the year, most people feel like his upside is still pretty great. I think he needs to add some physical strength to be great in the NHL as well as improve his game-to-game consistency, but if he can do those things I think he can easily be a 2nd or possibly even 1st line forward in the league.